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Finite Element Modeling of Microstructures in Composite Materials

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A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Advanced Composites".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 March 2024) | Viewed by 8002

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Prof. Dr. Yunhua Luo

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Guest Editor

Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Interests: finite element modeling; micromechanics of composite materials; design and analysis of functionally graded materials; multiscale modeling; composite strength and fracture

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Composite microstructures, including both composition and geometry, play a crucial role in the regulation of composite macroscopic properties. Fully understanding the relationship between composite microstructure and macroscopic properties is the fundamental base for the effective design of novel composites. However, this relationship is so complex that, although it has been extensively explored, there are still many aspects that are either unclear or completely unknown. Although finite element modeling is believed to be a more efficient approach than analytical and experimental methods for further the understanding of this relationship, it also faces a number of challenges. For this Special Issue, we invite high-quality papers showing recent progress in addressing these challenges. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

Finite element models of composite microstructure validated by experiments;
Analytical formulas established from finite element modeling;
Design and analysis of functionally graded materials;
Multiscale modeling of composite microstructure;
Relation between composite nonlinear behavior and microstructural local damage;
Finite element modeling of 3D-printed composites.

All submissions will undergo a rigorous peer-reviewing process.

Prof. Dr. Yunhua Luo
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

composite material
microstructure
finite element modeling
macroscopic property
local damage
functionally graded material
3D-printed composite
multiscale modeling

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Editorial

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2 pages, 157 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceEditorial

Finite Element Modeling of Microstructures in Composite Materials: A Special Issue in Materials

by Yunhua Luo

Materials 2023, 16(15), 5332; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16155332 - 29 Jul 2023

Viewed by 1273

Abstract

This Special Issue of the journal Materials aims to gather recent advancements and novel developments in the field of finite element modeling of microstructures in composite materials [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Finite Element Modeling of Microstructures in Composite Materials)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

19 pages, 3945 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Novel Finite Element-Based Method for Predicting the Permeability of Heterogeneous and Anisotropic Porous Microstructures

by Paris Mulye, Elena Syerko, Christophe Binetruy and Adrien Leygue

Materials 2024, 17(12), 2873; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17122873 - 12 Jun 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1270

Abstract

Permeability is a fundamental property of porous media. It quantifies the ease with which a fluid can flow under the effect of a pressure gradient in a network of connected pores. Porous materials can be natural, such as soil and rocks, or synthetic, such as a densified network of fibres or open-cell foams. The measurement of permeability is difficult and time-consuming in heterogeneous and anisotropic porous media; thus, a numerical approach based on the calculation of the tensor components on a 3D image of the material can be very advantageous. For this type of microstructure, it is important to perform calculations on large samples using boundary conditions that do not suppress the transverse flows that occur when flow is forced out of the principal directions. Since these are not necessarily known in complex media, the permeability determination method must not introduce bias by generating non-physical flows. A new finite element-based method proposed in this study allows us to solve very high-dimensional flow problems while limiting the biases associated with boundary conditions and the small size of the numerical samples addressed. This method includes a new boundary condition, full permeability tensor identification based on the multiscale homogenization approach, and an optimized solver to handle flow problems with a large number of degrees of freedom. The method is first validated against academic test cases and against the results of a recent permeability benchmark exercise. The results underline the suitability of the proposed approach for heterogeneous and anisotropic microstructures. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Finite Element Modeling of Microstructures in Composite Materials)

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18 pages, 8768 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Tensile Behavior of Hybrid Bonded Bolted Composite Joints: 3D-Digital Image Correlation versus Finite Element Analysis

by Raphael Blier, Leila Monajati, Masoud Mehrabian and Rachid Boukhili

Materials 2024, 17(7), 1675; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17071675 - 5 Apr 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1650

Abstract

This study examines the behavior of hybrid bolted/bonded (HBB) joints loaded in tensile shear comprising plain weave carbon/epoxy laminates in quasi-isotropic (QI) and cross-ply (CP) layups. It proposes a combined approach of 3D digital image correlation and finite element analysis (FEA) to assess [...] Read more.

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lamination. Experimental standard open-hole tension test results, as well as only bolted (OB) and HBB, along with FEA predictions, confirmed the accuracy of the substitution method. The FEA, calibrated by experimental results, provides insight into the distinctive characteristics of HBB joints in comparison with bonded and bolted joints. Critical considerations include material properties, damage modeling, adhesive characteristics, and mass scaling. The FEA results underscored the pivotal role of adhesives in HBB joints, rendering them akin solely to bonded configurations. HBB joints retain their geometry better than OB joints with considerably less out-of-plane displacement, following a sinusoidal trend. Moreover, the overall behavior of the two layups demonstrates that CP benefits from having higher strength than QI, especially at the critical hole located closer to the grip side. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Finite Element Modeling of Microstructures in Composite Materials)

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20 pages, 7815 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Equivalent Structural Stress-Based Frequency-Domain Fatigue Assessment Approach for Welded Structures under Random Loading

by Uchenna Kalu and Xihui Liang

Materials 2023, 16(23), 7420; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16237420 - 29 Nov 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1549

Abstract

Welded structures under random loadings are usually susceptible to fatigue-induced failures that lead to significant economic and safety effects. However, accurately predicting these structures’ fatigue damage and life in the frequency domain remains challenging due to the limitations associated with using traditional weld stress extrapolation methods, such as nominal, hotspot, and notch stress methods. These methods struggle with precisely defining and characterizing the stresses at the weld toe and root as they vary depending on factors like weld stress concentration effects, joint geometry, and loading modes. This research introduces an Equilibrium Equivalent Structural Stress (EESS)-based frequency-domain fatigue analysis approach for welded structures subjected to random loading. The proposed method utilizes the EESS formulations, which are based on the decomposition and characterization of weld toe stresses with a single stress parameter, together with incorporating structural dynamic properties’ effects on the stresses acting on the weld joints and the corresponding accumulated fatigue damage of the structure. The numerical demonstration and validation of the proposed method have been performed using a welded Rectangular Hollow Section (RHS) T-joint structure subjected to stationary random fatigue loading. The proposed method’s fatigue damage and life results are compared with the fatigue test data and the equivalent hotspot stress extrapolation-based technique results. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Finite Element Modeling of Microstructures in Composite Materials)

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22 pages, 17392 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Characterization and Design of Three-Phase Particulate Composites: Microstructure-Free Finite Element Modeling vs. Analytical Micromechanics Models

by Sebak Oli and Yunhua Luo

Materials 2023, 16(18), 6147; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16186147 - 10 Sep 2023

Viewed by 1386

Abstract

Three-phase particulate composites offer greater design flexibility in the selection of phase materials and have more design variables than their two-phase counterparts, thus providing larger space for tailoring effective properties to meet intricate engineering requirements. Predicting effective elastic properties is essential for composite design. However, experimental methods are both expensive and time intensive, whereas the scope of analytical micromechanics models is limited by their inherent assumptions. The newly developed microstructure-free finite element modeling (MF-FEM) approach has been demonstrated to be accurate and reliable for two-phase particulate composites. In this study, we investigate whether the MF-FEM approach can be applied to three-phase particulate composites and, if applicable, under which conditions. The study commences with a convergence analysis to establish the threshold ratio between the element size and the RVE (representative volume element) dimension. We then validate the MF-FEM approach using experimental data on three-phase composites from the existing literature. Subsequently, the MF-FEM method serves as a benchmark to assess the accuracy of both traditional and novel analytical micromechanics models, in predicting the effective elasticity of two distinct types of three-phase particulate composites, characterized by their small and large phase contrasts, respectively. We found that the threshold element-to-RVE ratio (1/150) for three-phase composites is considerably smaller than the ratio (1/50) for two-phase composites. The validation underscores that MF-FEM predictions align closely with experimental data. The analytical micromechanics models demonstrate varying degrees of accuracy depending on the phase volume fractions and the contrast in phase properties. The study indicates that the analytical micromechanics models may not be dependable for predicting effective properties of three-phase particulate composites, particularly those with a large contrast in phase properties. Even though more time-intensive, the MF-FEM proves to be a more reliable approach than the analytical models. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Finite Element Modeling of Microstructures in Composite Materials)

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